Cardboard display device



Dec. 28, 1937. I J. v. HORR 2,103,748

CARDBOARD DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Aug. 10, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 1' 3INVENTOR JOHN V HoRR BY V I v I I I I L I A Dec. 28, 1937. J. v. HbRR2,103,748

CARDBOARD DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Aug. 10, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR-JOHN VVHORR AZ 43 BY E i E TToRNg Dec. 28, 1937. J. v. HORR CARDBOARDDISPLAY DEVICE Filed Aug. 10, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 R O T N E V m JOHN VHOR'R BY Patented Dec. 28, 1937 UNITED L'STAT CARDBOARD DISPLAY DEVICEJohn V. Hort, Hastings on Hudson, signor tov Einson-Freeman 60.,

a corporation of Delaware IslandCity, Y.,

Application August 10,

13 Claims My present invention relates generally to display devices, andhas-particular reference to collapsible cardboard displays.

,A general object of my invention is to provide a novel type of displaystructurepresenting to view a multiplicity of display panels arranged inan attractive staggered, zigzag'relationship.

A more particular object is to providea display in which the panels arearranged in superposed tiers, so th'at'by providing for fewer panels inthe upper tier or tiers a pyramidal effect can be produced;

A still further object of the invention is to provide a constructionwhich is simple and inexpensive tomanufacture, staunch and stable whenin set-up condition, yet capable-pf extremely simple collapsing of thesame into a compact, flat condition. l e f The present device ischaracterized by the employment of two cardboard blanks, eachfof which iszigzag in configuration; theblanks being inlazy-tongs interengagement,this intere'ngagement being preferably effected by providing downwardlyopening slots in'one blank and upwardly openingslots in the other blank,where the blanks intersect.

It is a particular feature of the invention 'to provide each blank withV certain portions of lesser height, and other portions of greaterheight, these portions beingso arranged that the low portions of bothblanks conjointly define "a bottom tier of display panelsarrangedside-byside in zigzag relation;v while the high portions of bothblanks conjointly define an upper' tier 7 ofjdisplaypan'els arrangedside-by-side in zigzag relation. I

I achieve the foregoing objects; and such other objects as mayhereinafter appear or be pointed out, in the manner illustrativelyexemplified in the accompanying drawings, wherein;-

.l Figure 1 is a planview of one of the blanks entering into the presentconstructionj Figure 2 is a plan view of the second blank; Figure 3 is aplan view of an illustrative auxiliary panel;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the blank of Figure 1 in set upcondition; 7

Figure 5 isfla perspective view of the blank of Figure 2 in set-upcondition;

"Figure 6 is a perspective view of the entire assembled device when setup; v T

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view taken substantia'llyalong the line'I"! of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is afview similar to Figure "'7', illustrating' the'manner'ofcollapsing the device;

N. Y., as-- Ind, Long 1937, Serial No. 158,318

Figure 9 is a detail cross-sectional view taken substantially along theline 9-9 of Figure 6;

Figure 10 is a view similar'to Figure 6, illustrating a modification;and 1 I Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view taken sub stantially alongthe line 'I |-ll of Figure 10.

It will be understood that the blanks entering into the presentconstruction are preferably of conventional cardboard stock, suitablyscored and die cut to provide the necessary configurationand foldli'nes.v I I The blank of Figure 1 hasithe substantially straightv bottomedge'20, and is shaped to provide the relatively low portions 2|, 22,23, and 24. Between the portions 2| and 22 there is a'portion 25 ofrelatively greaterheight, and a similar high portion 26 is arrangedbetween the portions 23 and 24. a

For purposes presenting to be described, an attachment flap '2'I 'isarranged at the end *of the b portion 2|. and a similar attachment flap28 is arranged at the end of the portion 24. Downwardly opening slots 29and 30 are arranged in alignment with the right-hand edges of the highportions 25 and 26.' hingedly arranged on the right-hand. edge of thehigh portion 25,gand a slot 32 is provided in alignment with the slot29. Asimilar attachment flap 33 is arranged on the left-hand edge of thehigh portion 26, together with a slot 34 similar to the slot 32.Upwardly projecting tabs 35 and 36 define upwardly opening slots 31 and38 on the outer edges of the portions 25 and 26.

Score 'lines, indicated by dot-and-dash lines I in Figure 1, are alsoprovided in the blank so as to permit the blank to be set up in thezigzag condition shown most clearly in Figure 4.

' The blank of Figure 2, which is complementary with respect to theblankof Figure l, is also provided with the substantially straight bottomedge 40 39, with the relatively low panel portions 4!], 4i, 42, and43,'and with the relatively high portions 44 and 45. Upwardly openingslots 45 and 41 are arranged in alignment with the outer edges of theportions 44 and 45, these slots ultimately interengaging with the slots29 and 30, respectively, to hold the two blanks in intersectinglazytongs interengagement.

Attachment flaps 48 and 49 are arranged on the outer edges ,of theportions 44 and 45, in-

tended ultimately to'cooperate with the slots 32 and 34. I

The blank of Figure 2 is also provided with score lines, indicated bydot-and-dash lines, to 5 An attachment flap 3| is Tl permit the blank tobe set up into the zigzag condition shown most clearly in Figure 5.

The blank 50 of Figure 3 is an auxiliary panel and is-provided with thedownwardly opening slots 5| and 52 which are ultimately intended tointerengage with the slots 31 and 38.

In the devices illustrated in Figures 1-9, the low portions 22, 23, 40,4|, 42, and 43 are ultimately designed to constitute display panels; andthe relatively high portions 25, 26, 44, and 45 are also intendedultimately to serve as display panels. With this object in view, theseparticular panels or portions may be suitably configured in any desiredmanner depending upon the purpose for which the display is intended. Inthe illustrated embodiment, the display is designed to represent aplurality of bottles, and for this reason the upper edges of theenumerated display panels are configured like the upper end of a bottle.Suitable lithography or printing ultimately completes the display, aswill be understood by those skilled in the art.

After the blanks of Figures 1, 2, and 3 have been manufactured, ashereinbefore described, the completion of the manufacturing process isaccomplished by first folding the panels into the relationships ofFigures 4 and 5; then applying the blank of Figure 4 downwardly over theblank of Figure 5 so that the slots 29 and 30 interengage with the slots46 and 41, respectively; and finally securing the attachment flaps 21and 28, preferably by means of adhesive, to the outer edges of thepanels 40 and 43. This causes an interengagement of the lazy-tongsvariety. To complete the interengagement, the high portion 25 must behingedly connected with the high portion 44, and the high portion 26must be similarly hinged to the high portion 45. This may beaccomplished in the manner illustratively shown most clearly in Figure9, by inserting the flap 48 through the slot 32 and inserting the flap49 through the slot 34.

With these two blanks thus interengaged and assembled, the resultingdevice may be opened up into the display position of Figures 6 and '7,or it may be collapsed into substantially flat, compact relationship, asindicated in Figure 8. It will be understood, however, that Figure 8does not represent the device in fully collapsed condition, since aneven more compact collapsing may be efiected when the device is to beshipped, packed, or stored.

One of the outstanding advantages of the present construction lies inthe fact that the compacted device of Figure 8, when unwrapped by theultimate user, requires no manipulations in order to bring it intoset-up condition. In fact, the normal springiness of the cardboardblanks tends to expand the device from the condition of Figure 8 to thecondition of Figure 7. The user, therefore, even though highlyunskilled, can hardly make any mistake in adjusting the device to setupcondition. To help him further, and to brace the device, the auxiliarypanel 50 is applied in the manner indicated i'n Figure 6. Since thispanel is arranged in a plane which intersects the planes of the displaypanels, and since the slots 5| and 52 are thus at a predetermineddistance from each other, the engagement of these slots with the slots31 and 38 necessarily adjusts the entire device to the proper degree ofexpansion and holds it in such proper set-up condition.

The ultimate effect is obvious from Figure 6. In the illustrated form, aseries of six display panels are arranged in side-by-side, zigzagrelationship at the bottom of the device; and above this bottom tierfour elevated display panels are arranged in a. pleasing zigzagrelationship slightly to the rear, serving as an upper tier. The effectis a pyramidal one, and where the panels depict bottles or the like anattractive composite display efiect is produced.

The ultimate collapsing of the device for storage or shipment iseffected inthe reverse manner, by removing the auxiliary panel 5!; andcollapsing the resultant structure into the relationship of Figure 8.

The invention lends itself readily to modification in the mannerillustratively shown in Figures 10 and .11. In this construction, oneblank has the relatively low portions 53, 54, 55, 56, and 51, and therelatively high portions 58, 59, and 60. The other blank has therelatively low portions BI, 62, 63, 64, and 65, and the relatively highportions 66, 61, and 68. Where the blanks intersect, interengaging slotsare provided .as hereinbefore described, and a separable hinging meanssuch as the flap-and-tab arrangement of Figure 9 is provided to connectthe portion 66 with the portion 58, the portion 61 with the portion 59,and the portion 68 with the portion 60. Attachment flaps 69 and 10complete the assembly, and an auxiliary panel may or may not be providedto facilitate the setting-up and. to hold the-dc,- vice in properlybraced condition. I

It will be noticed that in the embodiment of Figure 10 the lower tierhas eight display panels while the upper tier has six. In a similarmanner, additional panels may be provided, to any desired extent,enlarging the device to suit particular requirements. r

In general, it will be understood that changes in the details, hereindescribed and illustrated for the purpose of explaining the nature of myinvention, may be made by those skilled in the art without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appendedclaims. It is, therefore, intended that these details be interpreted asillustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, and illustrated its use, what Iclaim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a cardboarddisplay device, a pair of zigzag blanks in lazy-tongs interengagement,each blank having portions of lesser height and other portions ofgreater height, the low portions coniointly defining a continuous bottomtierof display panels arranged side by side in zigzag relation, the highportions conjointly defining a continuous upper tier of display panelsarranged side by side in zigzag relation.

2. In a cardboard display device, a pair: of zigzag blanks in lazy-tongsinterengagement, each blank having portions of lesser height and otherportions of greater height, the low portions conjointly defining abottom tier of display panels arranged side by side in zigzag relation,the high portions conjointly defining an upper tier ofdisplay panelsarranged side by side in zigzag relation, the total number of displaypanelsin the upper tier being less than the total number in the bottomtier, and the end panels of the bottom tier extending beyond the enddisplay panels-of the upper tier thereby producing a pyramidal efiect. p

'3. In a cardboard display device,'a pairof zigzag blanks in lazy-tongsinterengagement, each blank having portions of lesser height and otherportionsv of greater height, the low portions conjointly defining acontinuous bottom tier of display panels arranged side by side in zigzagrelation, the high portions conjointly defining a continuous upper tierof display panels arranged side by side in zigzag relation; one blankhaving downwardly opening slots, the other upwardly opening slots, wherethe blanks intersect, and said slots interengaging and thereby retainingthe blanks in said lazy-tongs interengagement.

4. In a cardboard display device, a pair of zigzag blanks in lazy-tongsinterengagement, each blank having portions of lesser height and otherportions of greater height, the low portions conjointly defining abottom tier of display panels arranged side by side in zigzag relation,the high portions conjointly defining an upper tier of display panelsarranged side byside in zigzag relation; and means for separablyinterlocking the high portions of one blank with the high portions ofthe other.

5. In a cardboard display device, a pair of zigzag blanks in lazy-tongsinterengagement,

each blank having portions of lesser height and other portions ofgreater height, the low portions conjointly defining a bottom tier ofdisplay panels arranged side by side in zigzag'relation, the highportions conjointly defining an upper tier of display panels arrangedside by side in zigzag relation, and means hingedly connecting the endsof one blank with the corresponding ends of the other. 1

6. In a" cardboard display device, a pair of zigzag ,blanks inlazy-tongs interengagement, each blank having portions'of lesser heightand other portions of greater height, the low portions conjointlydefining a bottom tier of display panels arranged side by side in zigzagrelation, the high 1 portionsconjointly defining an upper tier ofdisplay panels arranged side by side in zigzag relation, an auxiliarydisplay panel, and means for removably securing said panel to one ofsaid blanks, said auxiliary panel being arranged to brace the deviceagainst lazy-tongs maladjustment.

'7. In a cardboard display device, a pair of zigzag blanks in lazy-tongsinterengagement, each blank having portions of lesser height and otherportions of greater height, the low portions conjointly defining abottom tier of display panels arranged side by side in zigzag relation,the high portions conjointly defining an upper tier of display panelsarranged'side by side in zigzag relation, an auxiliary display panel,and means for removably securing said panel to one of said blanks, saidauxiliary panel being arranged in a single plane which intersects theplanes of said first-named display panels, thereby serving to brace thedevice against lazy-tongs maladjustment.

8. In a cardboard display device, a pair of zigzag blanks in lazy-tongsinterengagement, each blank having portions of lesser height and otherportions of greater height, the low portions conjointly defining abottom tier of display panels arranged side by side in zigzag relation,the high portions conjointly defining an upper tier of dis-' play panelsarranged side by side in zigzag relation; and means for separablyinterlocking the 9. In a cardboard display device, a pair of zigzagblanks in lazy-tongs interengagement, each blank having portions oflesser height and other portions of greater height, the low portionsconjointly defining a bottom tier of display panels arranged side byside in zigzag relation, the high portions conjointly defining an uppertier of display panels arranged side by side in zigzag relation; andmeans for separably interlocking the high portions of one blank inhinged relation to the high portions of the other, thereby permittingcomplete lazy-tongs collapse of the device.

10. A cardboard display device comprising a pair of zigzag blanks inlazy-tongs interengagement, each blank having portions of lesser heightand other portions of greater height, the low portions conjointlydefining a continuous bottom tier of display panels arranged side byside in zigzag relation, the high portions conjointly defining acontinuous upper tier of display panels arranged side by side in zigzagrelation, means for separably interlocking the low portions of saidblanks, and means for separably interlocking the high portions of saidblanks.

11. In a cardboard display device, a pair of zigzag blanks in lazy-tongsinterengagement, each blank having portions of lesser height and otherportions of greater height, the low portions conjointly defining abottom tier of display panels arranged side by side in zigzag relation,the high portions conjointly defining an upper tier of display panelsarranged side by side in zigzag relation, means for separablyinterlocking the low portions of said blanks, and means for separablyinterlocking the high portions of said blanks; said respective meansbeing in vertical alignment along the meeting edges of adjacent panels.

12. A cardboard display device comprising a pair of zigzag blanks inlazy-tongs interengagement, each blank having portions of lesser heightand other portions of greater height, the low portionsconjointlydefining a continuous bottom tier of display panels arranged side byside in zigzag relation, the high portions conjointly defining acontinuous upper tier of display panels arranged side by side in zigzagrelation; means for separably interlocking the low portions of one blankin hinged relation to the low portions of the other, and means forseparably interlocking the high portions of one blank in hinged relationto the high portions of the other, thereby permitting completelazy-tongs collapse of the device.

13. In a cardboard display device, a pair of zigzag blanks in lazy-tongsinterengagement, each blank having portions of lesser height and otherportions of greater height, the low portions conjointly defining abottom tier of display panels arranged side by side in zigzag relation,the high portions conjointly defining an upper tier of display panelsarranged side by side in zigzag relation; means for separablyinterlocking the low portions of one blank in hinged relation to the lowportions of the other, and means for separably interlocking the highportions of one blank in hinged relation to the high portions of theother, said respective means being in hinging alignment, therebypermitting complete lazy-tongs collapse of the device.

JOHN V. HORR.

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